Letter To A Young Congregation
Introduction:
A. [Read I Thessalonians 1:1-2].
1. Paul, here, is writing to the congregation at Thessalonica.
a. A very young congregation (maybe in existence for 6 mths).
b. A congregation that he helped establish.
c. A congregation that was located in a hostile enviroment (for
Paul had been run out of town by the Jews in Thessalonica).
2. He is writing:
a. To encourage them, for they had been afflicted (2:14).
b. To instruct them, for he was not able to stay very long in
Thessalonica, with this congregation, teaching them things
they needed to know as young christians.
c. To correct them. They had developed some false ideas.
d. To warn them not to be guilty of ungodly activities.
B. These are things we still need to hear.
I. We need to be encouraged.
A. Paul says he remembered certain things about them (1:3).
1. Their works of faith (i.e. evangelism - 7-8).
a. They had sounded out the word of the Lord....
b. So much so that they were an example to all the brethren
in Macedonia and Achaia.
c. And, they had been so active in evangelism Paul says..
"your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need
not to speak any thing."
2. Labour of love.
a. Their labor was done out of love for the Lord.
b. "if you love me keep my commandments "(John 14:15).
c. Their love was shown in action.
3. Patience of hope.
a. Their hope was in Christ, and they were awaiting, with
great anticipation, His return - 1:9-10.
b. Paul himself loved His appearing - II Timothy 4:7-8.
c. John said "even so, come Lord Jesus" (Rev.22:20).
d. The Thessalonians, like Paul, and John, had placed their
hope in Christ, and longed for His return.
B. What could people remember about us?
1. Could they remember our works of faith?
a. I don't know if it can be said that we have sounded out
the word of the Lord to a wide area, but we have been
involved in evangelism.
b. We have the opportunity to be an example to all the
brethren in the Kansas City area.
c. If we are willing to work like the Thessalonians did, we
can be the motivation other christians need, so they too
will be zealous in taking the gospel to the world.
2. Are we remembered for our labour of love?
a. Many members of this congregation are involved in the
work of the Lord, here in this congregation.
b. Why? Because they love the Lord!
c. We need to continue to provoke one another to love, and
good works (Hebrews 10:24).
3. Hopefully we are remembered for our patience of hope.
a. When we have visitors..hopefully they will see that our
hope is not in: material things; popularity; social activities;
but in the Lord Jesus Christ.
b. Hopefully our friends will also be able to see where our
hope is, because we are putting first the kingdom of God,
and His righteousness.
II. We need to be instructed.
A. The Thessalonians needed instructions.
1. They knew...
a. What they needed to do to obey the gospel:
1) For Paul refers to them as the "church" (church =
called out assembly).
2) He also calls them brethren.
3) And, he speaks of their "election of God" (1:4).
4) For Paul says they had been delivered from the
wrath to come (1:10).
b. That they needed to...
1) Turn to God from idols (1:9).
2) Serve God (1:9).
3) Walk worthy of God (2:12).
2. But, there were many things they still needed to learn.
a. They had great faith, but Paul says he wanted to..
"perfect that which is lacking in (their) faith" (3:10).
b. They had been taught that Jesus would return, but they
did not understand everything concerning His return.
c. They had elders, but they needed to be taught what
their responsibility was towards the elders (5:12-13).
d. They also needed to be taught a host of things
concerning living the christian life (5:14-22).
B. We need to be instructed in many things.
1. We ought to want to know...
a. What each of the books of the Bible are about.
b. Everything about every Bible subject.
c. As much as we can, so we can teach others-II Tim.2:2.
2. If you do not have all the answers...
a. You need to be studying, that you might be approved
unto God (II Timothy 2:15).
b. You should enjoy getting together with the brethren
and studying God's word - Acts 2:42.
1) Continued steadfastly = gave constant attention to.
c. You should never grow tired of hearing God's word
preached - I Timothy 4:6.
1) "Nourished up in" = fed in.
2) The words of (the) faith, and of (the) good doctrine.
III. We need to be corrected.
A. The Thessalonians had to be corrected.
1. They seem to have reached the false idea that those
who died, before the Lord returned, were going to miss
out on going to heaven.
a. Why they had reached this conclusion, I don't know.
b. It reminds me of a store giving something away, but
you have to be present to win.
c. They evidently understood the Christ returning part,
but not the dead resurrected part.
2. Paul wrote to them and said - I Thessalonians 4:13f.
a. He explained to them that the dead were not going
to miss out on Christ's return, and the rewards.
b. As a matter fact..the dead would be raised first.
3. This false teaching, as with all false teachings, can and
will cause grief, so Paul corrected them.
a. Paul did not want them to sorrow - (4:13b).
b. As Paul told them, they should have comforted one
another with those words (4:18).
B. Sometimes we need to be corrected.
1. We all can misunderstand things for various reasons.
a. Not taught completely.
b. Preconceived ideas.
c. Taught falsely.
d. Not rightly dividing it.
2. If we are wrong...
a. We need to accept the truth, once we have been shown
that what we believe is not what the Bible teaches
- Acts 17:11.
b. We need to accept the truth even if it means we have
to change things we do not want to change, or give up
things we do not want to give up.
c. We need to accept the truth, even if it is going to cause
family, or friends to be mad with us - Matthew 10:34-37.
IV. We need to be warned.
A. Paul warned the Thessalonians - I Thessalonians 4:1-7.
1. They were instructed in how they were to walk, and that
was in such a manner that they might please God (1).
2. Abstain from fornication (illicit sexual activity) (3).
3. Don't be like the gentiles who know not God (5).
4. Instead they were to be holy (7).
B. We need to warned as well.
1. It is easy to be influenced by the world around us:
a. T.V. = drinking, cussing, sexual immorality.
b. We can become brainwashed into believing these
things are O.K., or desensitized to where these things
do not bother us anymore.
c. We cannot allow ourselves to be conformed to this
world (Romans 12:2).
2. Friends can corrupt our morals (I Corinthians 15:33).
a. We like to fit in.
b. We like to have fun.
c. We like to be liked.
d. But, if we want to fit in, have fun with, and be liked by the
wrong people, we may find ourselves compromising our
good morals - I Corinthians 15:33; Psalm 1:1.
3. We need to be warned.
a. By brethren who love us - Galatians 6:1.
b. By the word of God, which is able to prick our hearts
(Acts 2:37).
Conclusion:
A. The Thessalonians could either...
1. Reject these things that Paul had written to them.
2. Or, accept them, and use them to help them be better
christians, and more pleasing to God.
B. We can do the same thing. We can...
1. Reject these things, or accept and use them.
2. Hopefully we will accept and use them.
C. If there is something you need to do, that we can help you
with, we encourage you to come. If it be...
1. Repent of some sin.
2. Obey the gospel.
3. Study.